Viewing 11 posts - 161 through 171 (of 171 total)
  • Why are panniers not popular for bikepackers?
  • molgrips
    Free Member

    The big yellow taxi is never far away assuming clear view of sky (i.e. no 127 hours stuff) and capacity to press a button

    Fair enough, that’s good to know. Doesn’t seem to be a lot about this on the website.

    scud
    Free Member

    Bit of a thread hijack, but new to “lightweight” bikepacking and previously would just use a 1 man tent and sleeping bag and would stuff them uncomfortably into a rusac, which was fine for short non-technical rides.

    Would it be OK to just attach the Alpkit dry bags with the external load loops (Airlok Xtra) on straight to the bars with straps or bungees or does this still move around to much? I’ve 13l for the bars and 8l for under the seatpost, but trying not to now have to fork out for harness system to attach to the bars?

    jameso
    Full Member

    What weather necessitated a down gilet when riding?

    10,000ft or more up, 4.30-5am in Wyoming and Idaho area can be pretty damn cold, especially when you have a long downhill after a bivi high up where it’s around freezing. Calories burned keeping warm aren’t going into fwd motion either.

    brassneck
    Full Member

    Is the reliability thang the reason a lot of TD riders are on single speed? Or is it just because it’s what they’re used to?

    stills8tannorm
    Free Member

    Would it be OK to just attach the Alpkit dry bags with the external load loops (Airlok Xtra) on straight to the bars with straps or bungees or does this still move around to much? I’ve 13l for the bars and 8l for under the seatpost, but trying not to now have to fork out for harness system to attach to the bars?

    It’ll work okay. It won’t be as secure as a harness but you won’t die. A little ingenious strapping will be required for the rear one though … really needs attaching in 2 planes, eg seat post and seat rails.

    boblo
    Free Member

    Do people use a harness for both bars and saddle? If so, what’s the flavour du jour? Had a quick look at Wildcat and Revelate and they seem awfully expensive for what they are…

    flange
    Free Member

    I love this how jameso has actually raced the td and done pretty bloody well (nice one chap!) yet the experts on here are telling him he’s wrong. As has Aidan.

    If you’re so bloody clever molgrips, why asked for advice?

    molgrips
    Free Member

    If you’re so bloody clever molgrips, why asked for advice?

    I’ve not told anyone they’re wrong.

    I’m thinking about the issues and gathering viewpoints. If you want to highlight a particular post I’d gladly explain what I actually mean.

    10,000ft or more up, 4.30-5am in Wyoming and Idaho area can be pretty damn cold

    That reminds me the time we went on a trip from Wisconsin in September where it was 30 odd degrees and sunny to Yellowstone where it snowed overnight!

    miketually
    Free Member

    Would it be OK to just attach the Alpkit dry bags with the external load loops (Airlok Xtra) on straight to the bars with straps or bungees or does this still move around to much? I’ve 13l for the bars and 8l for under the seatpost, but trying not to now have to fork out for harness system to attach to the bars?

    I’ve fastened a 13l Alkit bag to my bars with a couple of bungees a few times. Struggled a bit, because the bag was a bit overfull with a sleeping and bivy bags inside so there was no squish. Alpkit usually recomend a 20l bag, which I think would give a bit of movement to deform around controls and bars. I think straps would be easier/better than bungees.

    The harnesses seem to be more for racers, because you can quickly get the drybag out. One of the past racers of the TD (Aidan?) said this meant he dried/aired out his bag more frequently when stopping during the day.

    jameso
    Full Member

    Had a quick look at Wildcat and Revelate and they seem awfully expensive for what they are…

    Not cheap but the Wildcat Tiger seatpack is a brilliant bit of kit, worth every penny. Takes some practice to use quicky but very well designed and the most stable seat pack by a large margin. Almost none of that bag sway you see with over-filled standard seat packs (limited capacity helps, and is a wise move). I picked up an older style Revelate bar harness for £30 SH, used a MYOG version before that for a few trips.

    AlexSimon
    Full Member

    I used Airlok Extra bags lashed both front and rear before I got my Wildcat harnesses.
    Just strapped on with 2 straps front, 3 straps rear (and a bit of double-sided velcro around the seatpost). I was happy with them for short trips. Stability was pretty good at the front. Acceptable at the rear. Items in the rear tended to settle off-road and create slack in the straps in places, meaning a quick re-tighten.

    For longer trips I would have got the sewing machine out and made a bit of a sling for the rear, but the Wildcat Tiger arrived in time to mean I didn’t have to do that 🙂

    However, I did manage to bodge the old rear so that it would work with the Joplin seatpost. Now I’ve got the Wildcat and a longer-travel Reverb, I haven’t been able to make it work.

    The most important difference between the lashing and Wildcat solutions is that one made me check it every gate/stop, and also constantly leave me thinking I could do a slightly better job, whereas the other leaves me relaxed.

Viewing 11 posts - 161 through 171 (of 171 total)

The topic ‘Why are panniers not popular for bikepackers?’ is closed to new replies.